Rich Azzolino is my pal, so when I knew I was coming back this year for Christmas I called him and he said without any hesitation, come back and try some things you didn’t try last time. Well I am here to say that not only is Sotto Mare super fun, but the food will truly knock your socks off.

Like last year, Christmas time at Sotto Mare is a big event. There are stockings on the wall for each employee and every customer that comes in wishes Rich a Merry Christmas. This year was a bit different, Rich underwent 2 knee replacement surgeries at the same time, who does that? Only a man who can’t wallow in his misfortunes and has to get up and get right back to work. So there was Rich in all of his optimistic glory greeting everyone just like he did last year, but with a little bit of a stagger in his step, you know he is so happy to be back, because nothing will stop this great man!

I posted my first review on December 21, 2015.

Here’s what I tried:

Whole Cracked Crab, with cocktail sauce, this is my own personal showstopper. They get the crab from the bay and it is sweet as can be, what a delicacy!!!

Oysters on the half shell – West Coast and East Coast, each one had their own individual flavor, extremely fresh and just went down so easy.

Blue Cheese Salad Wedge, very crispy and fresh lettuce makes for one delicious salad, chalk full of blue cheese.

Boston Clam Chowder, it has bacon in it so it is a bit salty, but wonderful none the less.

Mussel/Clams Steamers, they are both so sweet and fresh, just amazing.

Petrale Sole with sautéed beat greens, I just loved this dish, full of capers and done just right!

Sea Scallop Sauté wild caught, nice plump scallops with a simple sauce so you really get to taste the freshness of the scallops.

Linguine with Manila Clams. These clams are so sweet and nothing here is overdone, just spectacular.

Fettuccine with Smoked Salmon, white sauce. This by far is my favorite here at Sotto di Mare, it is just a wonderful concept that really no other restaurant does.

Wines:

Pinot Grigio, Italy, worked perfectly with the crab with all of its fragrant characteristics.

Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma, I liked this wine with the salad wedge, it went great with the blue cheese

Montepulciano, Italy, you have to stretch your imagination for this wine to go with the smoked salmon.

Zinfandel Sonoma, not your typical fish wine, but I still drank it with the Petrale.

Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma, this one too is not your best wine with fish, but for me I would drink this wine with anything, its just that good.

There is never any dessert served here, they give you a sheet telling you where to go if you want that in the neighborhood, who wants dessert after such a remarkable meal anyway??

Then there is Tiffany who will stop you from eating your crab and say “You better stop eating that and save room for the next thing” LOL, she is hysterical, and the best server you will ever experience. She really makes her job look so easy. She had just gotten back from her vacation in Hawaii, so she was all a glow, and ready to make my experience really memorable!

I can never say enough about this establishment, from the food, to the staff, and their loyal customers. There is always something to cheer about when you’re here, and it’s just a real pleasure to be part of their extended family! No matter who you are when you walk in their doors you will feel like family as well, they are the most welcoming people of any of my tasting experiences.

Sotto Mare is just one of those things that you have to do when you’re visiting San Francisco, forget Ghirardelli or The Golden Gate Bridge, I am telling you, forget anything you ever knew about this fair city by the bay and start making your habit of going to Sotto Di Mare, its one of the great wonders of the world, for your mouth!